"most be considered a contract under the Emigration Ordinance.
5.
On the 15th July I was instructed to report on emigration generally. I beg to enclose a copy of the order and my report.
On the 21st July I received a letter enclosed and marked B, by which I was informed for the first time that I was to be held responsible if I allowed any ship to clear in future to the United States, Australia or the Straits Settlements with nominally free Chinese emigrants, any portion of whose passage money had been advanced on condition of its being worked off by service at the place of destination.
That all such emigrants were not to be treated as free emigration, and the law applied accordingly. As this reading of the law was entirely new to me and struck me as being in direct opposition to Phillippi's opinions which had been sent for my guidance, I applied for certain definite instructions. My letter is enclosed and marked C.
In reply to this application, I received a copy of the opinion of the present Attorney-General, Mr. O'Malley, dated the 30th July 1900, the material part of which is contained in the postscript, which runs as follows: "It will be seen from what I have...